By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
9 warning signs youre in an abusive relationship
46332b59830c0dc015c06da5ef49f73abf83a4309b7c04b768b05158736525c0
Domestic abuse victims don't always leave their partners, and that's partly because they don't recognize the warning signs. Here are nine warning signs of domestic abuse you need to know. - photo by Herb Scribner
Research shows that 25 percent of American women experience domestic abuse during their lifetimes. But that may not be the whole story as most domestic violence cases go unreported, according to Safe Horizon, a domestic abuse resource website.

In fact, some women will stay with their abusers because theyre still in love with that person, or theyre worried about what will happen after they leave their partner, author Leslie Morgan Steiner wrote in a piece for CNN.

The answer is as complicated as love itself, Steiner wrote. We victims tend to be hope junkies, open-hearted and optimistic. We believe that our loved ones are capable of change. Some would say we are nave. Others say we are too kind or too forgiving. Often we cannot find the courage to leave an abusive relationship until our life (or our children's safety) has been threatened.

Others dont leave because they dont recognize the signs of abuse and don't feel their relationship is an abusive one, our own Lois Collins reported last year.

Recognizing the signs of domestic abuse, though, can make all the difference and help victims escape those relationships before things take a darker turn, Collins reported.

Brittany Binowski of the Deseret News put together a list last year with some warning signs for domestic violence victims to be mindful of. And Imgur user OddOne10154 has a few more signs to watch out for if youre worried you might be in an abusive relationship.